The horizontal line represents the person’s life.1634 - born1683 - “History of the Government of Venice, and that of the Uscocks,
a people of Croatia:”1706 - died

AmelotDeLaHoussaye, Nicholas

, called
by some AbrahamNicholas, but, according to Niceron,
Nicholas only appears in his baptismal register, was born
February. 1634, at Orleans. He was much esteemed at
the court of France, and appointed secretary of an embassy which that court sent to the commonwealth of Venice,
as appears by the title of his translation of father Paul’s
history of the council of Trent; but he afterwards published
writings which gave such offence, that he was imprisoned
in the Bastile. The first works he printed were the “History of the Government of Venice, and that of the Uscocks,
a people of Croatia:” in 1683, he published also translations into French of Machiavel’s Prince, and father Paul’s
history of the council of Trent, and political discourses of
his own upon Tacitus. These performances were well received by the public, but he did not prefix his own name
to the two last mentioned works, but concealed himself
under that of La Mothe Josseval. His translation of father
Paul was attacked by the partisans of the pope’s unbounded
power and authority. In France, however, it met with
great success; all the advocates for the liberty of the Gallican church promoting the success of it to the utmost of
their power; though at the same time there were three
memorials presented to have it suppressed. When the
second edition of this translation was published, it was
violently attacked by the abbé St. Real, in a letter he wrote
to Mr. Bayle, dated October 17, 1685, and Amelot defended himself, in a letter to that author. In 1684, he
printed, at Paris, a French translation of Baltasar Gracian’s
Oraculo manual, with the title of “l’Homme de Cour.”
In his preface he defends Gracian against father Bouhours’
critique, and gives his reasons why he ascribes this book
to Baltasar and not to Laurence Gracian. He also mentions that he had altered the title, because it appeared too
| ostentatious and hyperbolical; that of “l’Homme de Cour,”
the Courtier, being more proper to express the subject of
the book, which contains a collection of the finest maxims
for regulating a court-life. In 1686, he printed “La Morale de Tacite;” in which he collected several particular
facts and maxims, that represent in a strong light the artifices of court-flatteries, and the mischievous effect of their
conversations. In 1690, he published at Paris a French
translation of the first six books of Tacitus’s annals, with
his historical and political remarks, some of which, according to Mr. Gordon, are pertinent and useful, but many
of them insipid and trifling. Amelot having employed his
peri for several years on historical and political subjects,
began now to try his genius on religious matters; and in
1691 printed at Paris a translation of “Palafox’s theological and moral Homilies upon the passion of our Lord.”
Frederic Leonard, a bookseller at Paris, having proposed,
in the year 1692, to print a collection of all the treaties of
peace between the kings of France and all the other princes
of Europe, since the reign of CharlesVII. to the year 1690,
Amelot published a small volume in duodecimo, containing
a preliminary discourse upon these treaties; wherein he
endeavours to show the insincerity of courts in matters of
negociation. He published also an edition of. cardinal
d’Ossat’s letters in 1697, with several observations of his
own; which, as he tells us in his advertisement, may serve
as a supplement to the history of the reigns of Henry III.
and Henry IV. of France. Amelot died at Paris, Dec. 8,
1706, being then almost 73 years of age, and left several
other works enumerated by Niceron, who objects to his
style, but praises his fidelity. The freedom with which
he wrote on political subjects appears to have procured for
him a temporary fame, unaccompanied with any other advantages. Although he was admired for his learning and
political knowledge, he was frequently in most indigent
circumstances, and indebted to the bounty of his friends. 1

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